Automobile chassis-lubricating



AUTOMOBILE CHASSIS LUBRICATIG DEVICE Original Filed Sept- 6, 1921 2 sheets-sheet. 1

Jan. 22, 1935. I, F. H. GLEAsoN Re. 19,435

AUTOMOBILE CHASSIS LURIGATING DEVICE Original Filed Sept. 6, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gi/m @f/" ATT EY-S.

Reissued Jan. 22, 1935 NITED STAT ES .PA-TENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE ICHASSIS-LUBYRIVCATI'NG DEVICE 'Frederick`H. Gleason, Auburn, N. Y., assignor to y Auto Research Corporation,` a corporation of- Delaware Original No. 1,629,453, dated May 17, 1927, Serial No. 498,740, September 6, 1921.` Application for reissue December 5, 1928, Serial No. .324,020

17 Claims.

'ffan A S. T. M.-('Safybolt) Viscosity of 6656 seconds 'at50-F.-and4650 yseconds. at 80 F. Theflash test is -400F. andthe fire test 440 F. At temperaltureabovethe'fire test this oil is subject to crack- ..10 *At-'the temperatures encountered during the l"-useof an' automobile said oil'flows (or pours) so slowly'thatthe oil pump of ordinary-construetion cannot handle it. The atmospheric pressure (approximately 14 pounds per square inch) -aotlo Ving` on `the 4surface of the oil during the-short period of time allowedforlling the cylinder of the ordinary oil pump is not great enough to cause the oil to iiow into the cylinder. In winter when temperatures of 30 F."and lower are of common ..20 occurrence` said oil cannot be-handled by thev ordinary pump.

@My improved lubricator reservoir, pump and tubing distribution system embodies novel features which enable an automobile chassis to be ."25 lubricated fwith the. above'mentioned oil under 'all' temperature conditions -With the shortest length of tubing, the smallest number of parts fand' the minimum of complications. A

rOtherobjects willfappear and be better unv'30mderstoodfrom that embodiment of myrinvention ofwhich thel following is a specication, referl'encebeing had'to the accompanying drawings `forming part hereof; in which Figure 'l'is' a side'elevational View ,offmy imw35v .provedlubricatorreservoir andpumm'Fig. 2 is asectional "view through'the `lubricator reservoir frandpump taken on -line 2, 2 in- Fig. 1;-Fig. 3 is a 'untop .view ofifan automobile chassis, showing the A1ilubricatoi"reservoir and pump in position onan 1I-40* fengixie'exhaust pipe, and'the'tubing for the oil parts which may .be of cast iron'Land-shown attached to fthe` exhaust pipe 2 of an automobile chassis by '250 means ofthe U shaped clamps 3. AI filler plug 4 with anair 'Vent is provided in the'top surface of reservoirlj A cylinder `5=provided with a drain vplug 18 is attached to the lowest part of reservoir 1, and acylindrical-sleeve 'l slides in the .guide 6 i ''attachedi to the top surface of reservoir 1 directly over the cylinder 5. .The top 19 of. the .cylindrical rsleeve '7 .may project through ther floor boards .of the automobile chassis in front of the front seat. A piston looperates in cylinder 5 and is normally heldat the top of its stroke against the stop 11 by a slight compressionof the light spring 13. .At the lower edge of piston a numberof portsor passages 12. through the wall of cylinder 5 `provvide passages for the oil from the lubricator-reservoir 1 into the cylinder` 5 when the .pistonlO is in its normal position .at the top of its stroke. A plunger 24 in a bossa of the guide ,6, has a spring 26 held in `place by collar 27 secured .by apin 6b in-,boss 6a. vThe cylindricalsleeve '7r has a longitudinal slot 9 with an enlargement 8 Vatthe top end of theslot. plunger 24 slides in slot.9 andthe larger .diameter of plunger 24 fits into enlargement 8-of rcylindrical .sleeve '7. The sleeve '7 is normallyheld at. its top vposition with the smaller diameterof.v plunger 24 atA the bottom of slot 9 by a slight compression l0f the yheavy spring 28 and the light .spr-inglB. YSpring28 bears Pagainst'shoulder 'lEL of sleeve 7 and against piston 10.l Thepiston. 10.has arod 23 extending up inside ofV sleeve 7 through shoulder 72, said rod having atapered nut 22, nwasher 21 and lock nut ZO-near its threaded `upper end.. A screen 14 is-attached to;` tubingcheck valve T.`-15 provided with checkfvalve and spring 29. The

.oilisvconductedaway from T byI thetubes 16 ltubing line on one side of the chassis extends from vthe outer end fronty spring fitting SSI/through `rear end front spring fitting V39, through supply `fitting l31 connected to tube 1'7, through front' end rear springtting 40 to rear end rear spring ,.tting -41. ytubingl line extends'from the outer end .front spring fitting 37 through rear `end front. spring On the other side of the chassis` a fitting 36 through front axle and tie rod supply fitting 32 through supply fitting 30 connectedto itube 16, through rear axle supply tting 33, through front end .rear spring fitting 34 to rear end rear spring tting A35. -Flexible tubing-line l5 The smaller diameter ofthe 46 4leads from axle supply tting.32 to fitting 4'7 on the front axle, .which may be constructed by Vulcanizing a rubber hose over an annealed coppervtubeand contracting aferrule o-ver the ends the tubing. Flexible tubing line 43 from the rear axle supply fitting 33 to the T connecting brake shaft bearings 42 and 42 is of the last named construction. The bore or internal cross sectional area of the tubing extending from fitting 32y through fitting 30 to fitting 33 and from fitting 30 through fitting 15 and ending at fitting 31 is twice the area of the tubing used for the other lines (tubing from fitting 38f-39-31`- -4l, from fitting 37-36-32, from fitting 32-4'7 to 49 and 49, from fitting 33, 34 to 35, and from 33 to 42 and 43). The oil delivery hole in fitting 39 has an area of one half of the area of the supply line, the oil delivery hole in fitting 38 has an area of two thirds of the area of the supply line, (the bore in fitting 38 is larger than the bore in fitting 39 to compensate for internal surface oil friction, capillary attraction and the drop in pressure due to the above factors and the increased distance from the pump). 'The' foregoing dimensions are examples for use with my improved Iubricator. When more than two delivery points are supplied by the same line the areas of the various delivery holes are calculated to divide up' the area of the supply line, allowance being made for extra area in the delivery holes farthest from the pump to compensate for unequal oil delivery. The flexible tubing lline is brought down from frame fitting 32 to tting 47 on the axle along the line of the rear half of the front spring and is held in place by clips 46 attached to the bolts of the spring rebound clips. Clip 46 permits tubing to slide, (which construction provides for the minimum amount of bending or flexing of the tube with no abrupt bends). Tubing lines securely attached. tothe front axle web connect fitting 47 with fit-- tings 49 and 49 on the top of the knuckle king' pin bolts, (which fittings 49 and 49 have delivery bores each with an area equal to one half 'of the area of the supply tube). Specific means for lubricating the steering knuckles and tie rod connections are not set forth herein as they are set forth in my application ASerial No. 438,064, filed January 18, 1921, now Patent No. 1,388,945.

The exible tubing line 43 extends from rear axle supply fitting 33 along the front half of the rear spring held by clip `44 to a T with branches to brake shaft bearings 42'and 42, (the oil delivery holes in these fittings 42' and 42 having one half of the area of the'supply tube).

In Fig. 5 is shown a clip 52ffor attaching the tubing to the frame 50, which clip may be made from soft-greasy die castY metal in two like or similar halves with `a hole with fillet 54V at each end for the tubing.v Said clip placed around the tubing and is fastened together and to the frame by the screw and nut 53. In Fig. 5 is shown a bushing 51 for carrying ythe tubing `through the frame 50, which bushing may be made from soft-greasy diecast metal with a hexagon head and outside threaded part to screw into threaded hole in frame 50, said bushing having a hole through its center with fillets 54 at each end of the hole to carry the tubing. This method of securing the tubing permits of securely holding the tubing and at the same time allows it to slide in the supporting clips, eliminatingl stresses which in time might break the tubing.

, Specific means for lubricating the spring bolts and shackles are disclosed in my pending application No. 438,065, filed January 18th, 1921, now Patent No. 1,548,033.

Specific means for lubricating the drag steering link are disclosed in. application led September 22, 1921, Serial No. 502,390, now Patent No. 1,558,863.

The following data will aid in understanding the action of the complete system: Tubing lines with smallest internal diameter are preferably of annealed copper tubing T36 outside diameter with a wall .06" thick having a bore with an area of .003578 square inches; largest tubing lines are preferably of fig" outside diameter with a wall .05" thick having a bore with an area of .006013 square inches. The average installation has about 530 of tubing with a capacity of approximately 1.896 cubic inches of oil. The pump with piston 11/8 diameter and a stroke of 2" will deliver approximately 1.988 cubic inches of oil with full stroke. With the foregoing examples n the spring 28 will preferably be such that when compressed by sleeve 7 it will exert about 125 pounds pressure per square inch on the oil contained in the pump and the tubing distribution system. A system having 530" of tubing with a capacity of 1.896 cubic inches of oil and having 30 oil delivery points will deliver approximately .063 cubic inches of oil at each point. No one single point can be over-lubricated because the entire system holds only a comparatively small amount of oil. A certain amount of oil always remains in the tubing distribution system due to surface friction, low points in the system and to vacuums. The amount of oil delivered by the pump can be regulated by adjustingthe tapered nut 22 which in turn regulates the amount of oil delivered at the delivery terminals.

The general operation of the systern'is as followsz-The oil contained in the reservoir 1 at-A tached to the exhaust pipe 2 is maintained at a suitable temperature, say of from 100F. to- 200 F. when the lmotor is running, regardless of the seasonal temperature. The piston 10 is always automatically returned to its top position against the stop pin 1l by spring 13 and normally is in that position, the ports or passages 12 then being open connecting the reservoir 1 with the cylinder 5, giving the oil ample time to completely fill the cylinder 5. `pressing the sleeve 7, as by stepping on the top 19 of said sleeve which projects through the car oor board, untilplunger 24 enters enlargement or hole 8 of sleeve 7. Spring 28 is then compressed since the piston meets the resistance of' oil in cylinder 5 and the piston is gradually forced down in cylinder 5 `by the pressure of spring 28. The oil is forced out of cylinder 5 by piston 10 through the screen 14 and check valve 29 into the chassis tubing distribution system. When.

the piston 10 is near the bottom of its stroke the tapered nut 22 operated by rod 23 attached'to piston 10 presses the plunger 24 back, releasing sleeve 'l and releasing the pressure of spring 28 on piston 10. The spring 13, which has been compressed by the stronger spring 28 during the down stroke of the piston 10, now returns piston 10 to its top position against stop pin 11. The oil in space 25 between shoulder "la at the bottom of sleeve 'l and the tapered adjusting nut 22 on piston rod 23, then within the main oil chamber, acts as a dash pot, preventing the sleeve 7 from returning suddenly to its top position when the pressure on spring 28 is relieved by the release of plunger 24. The cylinder 5 now has the long interval of time between the lubrications of the chassis to completely fill with oil from the reservoir 1 through the ports or passages 12. The cubic capacity of the pump and the cubic capacity of the tubing distribution system being` about The chassis is lubricated by dem "graduated: areas= .ofc-the delivery -holes 2 :produce 1 -about the.. same pressure at r eachdelivery 'point 5 `lsand'lapproximately` the same amount. of oil isidei livered atffeach point;v vini-thl theexception that i1 any line has more than:two-deliveries;thatline @will haveiitscubic capacitydivifdedbetween its f delivery: points. @.When the-system. is operated in --ttemperaturesof`lF..and lowerf-thef'oil in the E reservoir and `pump is--maintained byl'thehe'at ffrom theeexhaust V-'pipe'y in a-'uid lstate, .butlthe 'f oil inL the:tubingdistributionsystem iscongealed i y into aljelly-lilte` masslWhensleeve rTis depressed I-the'spr'ingi28 maintains a'pressure of. about 125 lpounds l per: square inch =on the tubing f distribuon system-luntilfawolume 'of the. jelly-like oil finl the -Ytubes equal to the volume of oil in l the Y -pump cylinder is. displaced through the delivery 1:20 terminals when the-piston automatically returns f to its `top normalfpo'sition and-the 'pum-p cylinder i iills withoil ready for another` chassis lubrication.

An-advan-tageiofmy` improvement istthatvthe operatorimerely hastodepressfsleeve 'Zr'until it is -l'ocked bylplunger-24,-1the==action of forcinglthe --lubricant to vl-the-"bea1`ings ycontinuing automaticallly by means l of @springlZS untilfplungerv 24 is automatically operated=torelease sleeve '7,

spring 23y .andvplunger 24, tou.enable."cylinder 5 :s to vbe again :charged with lubricant. ."A definite -ffamount'of :oillis'ifedv each time-:sleeve .'l is de- ';.pressed.

If the chassis isaalways`lubricated.when. the car isbeing1-operatedroverithe-road,` the motions o1 the car. produced by theinequalitieswof vthe road remove .the 5 .load .from1the: various :bearings and l allow the lubricant to ow. in Y'between every .part of the loaded surfaces. .lTheLentirewsystemcanfzbe quickly and thoroughly cleaned by removing drain plug 18 in the lower part of the cylinder 5 and allowing the oil in the reservoirl and pump 5 to drain out. The drain plug 18 is then replaced, the reservo-ir 1 Iilled with kerosene oil and the sleeve 7 depressed until all of the kerosene is forced through the system, when the lubricator reservoir l is again filled with oil.

While I have described my improved lubricator as particularly adapted for forcing lubricant to vthe bearings of an automobile chassis, it will be understood that my lubricator may be used for other purposes where a constant fluid feed, as desired, is required.

Having now described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A lubricator comprising a reservoir having an `outlet for lubricant, spring controlled means |to gradually force lubricant from the reservoir, means to set said means under pressure against the lubricant, and means to automatically release said pressure upon discharge of a predetermined amount of lubricant.

2. A lubricator comprising a reservoir having a communicating cylinder provided with an outlet, la spring-pressed piston operative in said cylinder, means to set the spring under pressure against the piston, and means to release said pressure when the piston has discharged a predetermined amount of lubricant.

3. A lubricator comprising a reservoir having a communicating cylinder provided with an outlet, a spring-pressed piston operative in said cylinder, means to set the spring under pressure against 'the piston, means to release said pressure when the piston has discharged a predetermined spring. toa-restore the `amount' lofi' lubricantrfand af @piston to initial-position.

t 4. `A 'lu'bricator i comprising a reservoir .having a communicating rcylinderprovided `with an outlet, a= pistoni-operative in said cylinder, av spring, A.toforcetheft-pistonagainst lubricant in said cyl- "zindenrmeans to set: and retainnthersp'ring under -tension, and-meanslto releasesthel tension ofsfsaid spring 5. -A-lubr-icator communicating-V cylinder :provided withI an outf-let, -a piston operative in. said' cylinder, la 4spring toforcey the 'piston' against lubricant inY said: cylinder, :means tof-set and Aretain the spring vunder .tens-ion, fmeanstof releasewthel tension of `said;

lspring; and afspring operativeagainst -saidpis- -ton to -returnity and-ther-rst named Aspring vto initial posi-tion.

l 6. 'A'lubricator -comprising a reservoirl having a communicating cylinder provided with anY out-.gif -let, a-pistonoperative in said-cylinder, a spring to force the piston against :lubricant` inf-said cylindenmeans to set andv retain .the spring. 'under tension, means controlled by thepiston toirelease `said retaining means-fandmeans-to. return "they piston and-spring to initial position. f

7. Ailubricator comprising a reservoir f having a communicating cylinder .provided with. an outl let, ya pistonoperative insaid cylinder, .a spring -to'force the piston .against lubricant in said cyl-y inden-a-recprocative-sleeve ycooperative withsaid '---spring,1retaining means for-said sleeve,'an'd means operative by said piston to actuatetheretaining means torelease thessleeve.

' `8'. A' lubricator. comprising Aa .reservoi'r'having a1"- communicating cylinderI provided. with v'an lout- .let, a l'pistonioperative in. `saidtcylinder, a 4spring w to force theA piston-'against rlubricant in asaiducyl- I inder, af reciprocative.sleevefcooperative Withzssaid spring, retaining means for said sleeve, means operative by said piston to actuate the retaining means to release the sleeve, and a spring to return the piston, iirst named spring and sleeve to initial position after the retaining means releases the sleeve.

9. A lubricator comprising a reservoir having a communicating cylinder provided with an outlet, a piston operative in said cylinder, a spring to force the piston against lubricant in said cylinder, a reciprocat'ive sleeve to enter the reservoir, a plunger cooperative with the sleeve to retain it in set position, and a member operative by the piston to release said plunger.

l0. A lubricator comprising a reservoir having a communicating cylinder provided with an outlet, a, piston operative in said cylinder, a spring to force the piston against lubricant in said cylinder, a reciprocative sleeve to enter the reservoir, a plunger cooperative with the sleeve to retain it in set position, a member operative by the piston to release said plunger, and a spring operative with the piston to return the piston, the first named spring and the sleeve to initial position when the plunger releases the sleeve.

ll. A lubricator comprising a reservoir having a communicating cylinder provided with an outlet, a piston operative in the cylinder, a spring in the cylinder to push the piston, an opposing spring of greater tension on the other side of the piston, a sleeve having a shoulder engaging the last-named spring, the piston having a taper member, the sleeve having a slot provided with an enlargement and a spring-pressed plunger operative in said slot and enlargement to be engaged by said member.

comprising al reservoir'having ad;

12. Alubricating apparatus comprising areservoir having an outlet for lubricant, a movable .piston for placing lubricant under pressure, separate springs disposed upon opposite sides of the piston and exerting unequal pressure thereon, means for placing the stronger of said springs under tension to move the piston against the increasing tension of the weaker spring, and means for releasing the tension on the stronger spring when the piston reaches a predetermined position on its pressure-producing stroke.

13. A lubricating apparatus comprising a reservoir having an outlet for lubricant, a movable piston forplacing the lubricant under pressure, an operating member for said piston, a spring interposed between the piston and the operating member, means for limiting the movement of the operating member in a pressure-producing direction, and for holding said member at said limit of movement, and means moving with the piston for releasing said holding means when a predetermined position of the piston is reached.

14. A lubrication system for chassis bearings comprising such bearings, a, reservoir for lubricant, a piping system connecting the reservoir to such bearings, a cylinder adapted to receive lubricant from the reservoir, a piston movable in the cylinder, a spring constituting the sole means for actuating the piston to expel lubricant from the cylinder through said piping system to the bearings, and a` member for compressing the spring whereby the latter will actuate the piston to expel lubricant.

15. A lubrication system for chassis bearings comprising such bearings, a, reservoir for lubricant, a piping system connecting the reservoir to such bearings, a. cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder, a spring constituting the sole means for actuating the piston to expel lubricant from the cylinder through said piping system to the bearings, and said cylinder formed with an opening permitting lubricant to ow from the reservoir to the cylinder when the piston is moved rearwardly in the cylinder, and a member for compressing the spring whereby the latter will actuate the piston to expel lubricant.

16. A lubrication system for the lchassis bearings of an automobile comprising such bearings, a reservoir for lubricant, a piping system connecting the reservoir to such bearings, a cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder, a spring constituting the sole means` for actuating the piston to expel lubricant from the cylinder through said piping system to the bearings, and a manually operable stem adapted for actuation externally of the apparatus for compressing the spring against one side of the piston whereby the spring may thereafter actuate the piston to expel the lubricant from the cylinder.

17. In a motor vehicle, in combination, chassis bearings, a force pump, a piping system partly lled with oil supplied from said pump interrnittently with small charges of oil and having outlet branches leading to said various bearings, said branches having parts restricted relative to the bore of the rest of the system to an extent such as to prevent the ready exchange of oil and air therethrough, spring-closed valve means normally interrupting communication from the pump to the outlet branches and openedby pressure transmitted from the pump to pass lubricant thereby, and automatically reseated upon cessation of said pressure, whereby emission of oil will occur from the pipe line to the bearings after the pump operation, until the state of equilibrium of thepipe contents is restored.

FREDERICK H. GLEASON. 

